1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an input/output module with a terminal unit for connection of sensors or actuator with an electronic unit and with a bus connection element. In particular, the invention relates to such an input/output module with a terminal unit having at least one input/output located in the same plane and being connected by the electronic unit to a bus connection element.
2. Description of Related Art
Until a few years ago, industrial cabling of sensors and actuators was done solely by parallel cabling of each individual sensor or actuator via individual leads. The increasing number of sensors and actuators which are currently being used in industrial installations is also raising costs in the cabling of individual sensors and actuators via individual leads. Cabling has required larger and more complex switchgear cabinets in which all leads come together. Expensive installation and start-up efforts necessarily require high personnel costs, and at the same time, represent an increased fault risk. Additionally, the cost of replacement of detective sensors or actuators or their renewal is increasing.
In addition to signal transmission via leads laid in parallel, therefore, in complex automation engineering, serial signal transport via bus systems has become increasingly common as a money-saving alternative. In addition to wires for data transmission, in these bus systems, supply for connected sensors and actuators is entailed. Bulky, complex switchgear cabinets which are thus expensive to wire are eliminated and are replaced by smaller, decentralized input/output modules.
Serial signal transport via bus systems makes the connection of individual sensors and actuators to one another and to the control simpler and also reduces costs in installation and startup. However, replacement of defective input/output modules or their renewal is still relatively complex, thus time-consuming and costly. In addition, the user is forced more and more often to change existing facilities and replace parts of the connection hardware to adapt them to the new conditions.